Portsmouth handed triple selection boost for FA Cup trip to Chesterfield as defender injury update also provided

Head coach John Mousinho has confirmed that all three of his loan signings – Alex Robertson, Abu Kamara and Tino Anjorin – have been granted permission to line up for the Blues in the competition.

And that could see the trio line up against Paul Cook’s side at the SMH Group Stadium on Sunday – a luxury Danny Cowley wasn’t afford last term when he was in charge at Pompey.

He was left without the services of Owen Dale and Dane Scarlett for the first two rounds of last season’s FA Cup against Hereford and MK Dons respectively. Neither were granted permission to play by their parent clubs, Blackpool and Spurs. Although, Dale was eventually allowed to feature for Pompey in the third-round defeat at Spurs, after the Seasiders signed promising Manchester City striker Morgan Rodgers in January.

A parent club’s failure to grant their player permission to play for their loan side in the Cup is often seen as an indication that a January recall remains a possibility. Coincidentally, Josh Griffiths and Josh Koroma returned to West Brown and Huddersfield respectively, after featuring in the Cup for the Blues last season.

However, that doesn’t appear to be an issue this time around, with Robertson (Manchester City), Kamara (Norwich) and Anjorin (Chelsea) all available for the game at the National League leaders.

That will come as a huge relief to Mousinho, with all three players contributing significantly to the Blues’ unbeaten start to the season and their position at the top of the League One table.

It also proves beneficial at a time when Marlon Pack, Tom Lowery, Anthony Scully and Connor Ogilvie remain sidelined through injury.

All three are closing in on returns. Meanwhile, Mourinho has been encouraged by Ogilvie’s determination to get back playing.

He picked up an ankle injury in last week’s trip to Cambridge, which was the left-back’s first start since he suffered a groin strain at Barnsley on September 19.

He’s anticipated to be out for 6-8 weeks. And ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Spireites, Mousinho provided an update on his rehabilitation.

‘There’s no fresh injury news apart from the long-term injuries. Everybody else is available,’ said the Blues head coach.

‘I think it will go well (Ogilvie’s recovery). We’re almost two weeks post the event now so it goes really quickly and Connor is extremely diligent and hard working in everything that he does.

‘You don’t play the amount of games that he’s played at such a young age without being a dedicated professional. It’s a blow to him that he’s not in the side. I think it’s the first time for a long, long time in his career that he’s had a couple of injuries back-to-back.

‘He’s obviously disappointed. He’s gutted that he can’t play but he’ll be back very, very quickly, and he’ll come back a lot strong, I’m sure.’